Samson Nacua, brother of Puka Nacua, released by the Saints after strong preseason

Samson Nacua made a strong impression on New Orleans Saints fans during the preseason, but it wasn't enough to keep him on the team's 53-man roster. The Saints decided to release Nacua on Tuesday as part of the organization's initial roster cuts.

Nacua, the older brother of Los Angeles Rams up-and-coming wide receiver Puka Nacua, joined New Orleans after spending the 2023 season in the USFL playing for the Michigan Panthers.

He previously played for the Indianapolis Colts in 2022, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of BYU. He played four college seasons for the Utah Utes from 2017-20 before transferring to BYU, where he caught 21 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns in 2021.

He shined during the preseason, especially as a return specialist. Nacua was just a few yards away from one of the most electrifying returns of the preseason, when he ran a missed field goal 106 yards before being forced out of bounds at the opponent's three-yard line.

Nacua caught two passes from six targets for 19 yards in the preseason, but after New Orleans trimmed its roster on Tuesday, he was ultimately left out.